The Path to Chaos
by the47thcardinal
Summary: Follows the adventures of a Drow male as he travels across, above and below the surface of Toril as he becomes a Chaos Mage.
1. Chapter 1

-1My name is Zentash Syn'alar and I am a drow. But I am also something far worse. I am Chaos. I am other things as well, but they all pale in comparison to Chaos. After centuries of existence I decided to put my thoughts and memories to parchment. It is my hope that future mages that consider following in my steps will be better able to understand the path upon which they think to tread. What follows is a history of sorts. A literal timeline that leads from my past to the present. Read on, then, and follow my path, from the great city of Menzobarrenzan, to piracy on the seas, and from the frigid mountains of the north, to the city of Skullport. I shall endeavor to put to words that what has led me to the embrace of Chaos.

I shall start from the beginning. I was born a noble. The second boy of house Syn'alar, a house of no importance in the great city of Menzobarrenzan. My mother, Matron Zhi'Ana Syn'alar was determined to have a core of mages to help her house rise in power. So, when I was born, it was decreed that I would be the first in that line of mages. Being a lowly male, I of course had no say in the matter.

As a child, I spent my days with my wean mother, suffering under her tutelage, learning the ways of the drow, and the role of the second boy, and anything else she thought important. From my earliest days, I found myself fascinated by the priestesses of Lolth, not to mention the Spider Queen herself. I would sneak away from my duties to watch my sisters and the other priestesses perform their daily rituals. I was already a devout follower of the Dark Goddess, but I wanted….no needed to know more. When I asked my sisters, or my wean mother, I was beaten.

"Your place is to do as you are told, not to ask questions." they would tell me, assuming they deemed it necessary to tell me anything at all.

I did not let it dissuade me, however. I spent more time watching the rituals, knowing my life would be forfeit if I were ever caught. Years passed. My time was spent in training for many years. Even though I was to be attending the wizard school Sorcere, I still had to learn how to fight and kill with melee weapons. Personally, I abhor hand to hand to hand combat, but on occasion it has served me. Once, while spying on the priestesses, my elder brother, Zyran caught me. He threatened to go to our mother and expose me. We fought. I was determined by that point. I had learned so much already, but there was much more knowledge yet to be revealed to me. I had not intended for it to happen, but during our fight, Zyran died. When my mother found out, she was proud of me, She thought that I had killed Zyran to take over as eldest. I kept that information from my mother, of course. Later I learned that even at my young age, Lolth had some involvement, granting me the strength to kill him.

Time passed, and the time for my departure to Sorcere drew ever closer. I became desperate. I doubled my prayers, repeating the words that I learned from watching the priestesses. Night after night I begged the Spider Queen to hear my pleas. I had one desire, to become a cleric in her service. I knew that males were nothing, but I had to try. It was my drive. As I knelt before my makeshift altar in my quarters praying, it happened. She appeared to me. It was a sight to behold. A gorgeous apparition hovering over my altar, looking down at me. At first I thought I was feverish, seeing things. Then she spoke to me. She told me that she had a plan for me. A plan that, should it work, will herald a new beginning for her followers. I was elated! A chance to serve Lolth, to wield her powers! My dreams were about to come true. My excitement faded quickly as the priestesses stormed into my room and dragged me before my mother. Apparently, every priestess in the house, not to mention the ones at Arach Tinilth, had the same vision as I had. To say that they were not happy would have been an understatement. The fury was apparent. Their hands clenched in rage, their eyes burning with pure hatred. It was all I could do not to smile. There I was, a lowly male, about to be ushered into the inner sanctum of the females. A place no male every ventured, or if he did, he never ventured out again alive. Despite their obvious anger, they could do nothing. Soon, priestesses and acolytes from Arach Tinilth came to our gates, and demanded I be delivered to them.

I was taken to Arach-Tinilth under the cover of secrecy. I was told that under no circumstances was my particular….status to be revealed to anyone. I was kept, much like an animal, in the lowest chamber, as far away as possible from the other priestesses and students. My food, when I was lucky enough to receive food, was delivered by slaves, usually a kobold or an orc. Occasionally, a human brought me food. While the other slaves cowered in fear, this human did not. He looked me in the eye and handed me my food. He was covered in scars, beaten no doubt. We shared words occasionally, his grasp of my language nearly as poor as my ability to speak his. Over the years, my knowledge of his language and culture grew until he stopped bringing my meals, and when I asked, I was beaten. I never learned his name or saw him again as I suspect he was killed. While I did not miss his company, in talking with him, a desire was sparked within me, to someday learn more about the surface world.

My lessons were sparse, and not at all informative. Most of what I was taught in the beginning was simple spells that any acolyte of any faith would be taught. A priestess would come to my room, make me cast a spell or recite a portion of literature, then leave after beating me for some error, real or invented. Lolth, for whatever chaotic reason, reveled in having me trained. She answered my prayers, granted me the power I needed for the spells I requested, and even protected me from the other priestesses…to a point.

After two decades, my training was complete. There was no ceremony, no fanfare. I was simply informed that I had satisfactorily completed all the training. I hoped to be given the opportunity to participate in a ritual, perhaps for House Baenre, or one of the other houses of the ruling nine. I was not to get the chance, however. Upon completion at Arach-Tinilth, I was given a satchel of documents, scrolls and other communications, and pointed towards Ched Nasad, where I was to be an ambassador from Menzobarrenzan. Ched Nasad was in the beginnings of being rebuilt after the deurgar razed it with their magic and fires. I was not allowed to visit my house or see my family before I left. I was ushered out of the gates of Menzobarrenzan with two gnoll slaves as porters. The gates were closed and latched behind me. Somehow, in the back of my mind, I knew I would never be allowed back into the city again.


	2. Chapter 2

-1

My gnoll porters and I traveled through the dark passageways towards Ched Nasad. The tunnels twisted and turned, but I had no worry of getting lost. Runes that were visible only to trained eyes directed us towards our destination. Three days into the journey, I started to get an uneasy feeling. I could not explain it, I just new that something was wrong. My slave porters yipped to each other in their own language, one that I had never learned. I knew that the were talking either about me, or something to come. Either way, I was about to find out.

On day five it happened. We rounded a bend and the passageway opened up into a cavern. As I entered, the two gnolls stood at the opening and laughed their high pitched laughs as they drew their blades. I quickly dropped my pack and moved into the cavern. I glanced about and noted that their were multiple tunnels that opened up into the room. I could hear yips and barks coming from the tunnels. I was about to be seriously outnumbered. I uttered a curse and turned to face the two former porters. They walked towards me, long daggers in hand. I knew I had to work quickly to slay these two traitors, and prepare for the others. I readied a spell I had prayed for the night before and cast it at the gnolls.

Nothing happened. I knew the spell inside and out, and yet it fizzled and died. The gnolls kept coming, as if they knew they were in no danger. I tried another spell, with the same result. _Vith_, I thought. Something was seriously wrong. Desperate, I pulled my dagger and ran towards the two. I may have been a spell caster, but I was also drow, and there is not a single member of my race that did not know how to dispatch a few poorly trained gnolls. Startled, they hesitated. That was their fatal error. The first on made a clumsy swing, but too high. I ducked underneath the swing and slipped my blade up, splitting his stomach and pushing it up into his heart. Much time in my training was spent learning the intricacies of anatomy. The gnoll blinked as death claimed him.

The second gnoll was a bit quicker, but that did not save him. As the knife slipped from the hands of the dying gnoll I grabbed it and rolled towards the second creature. He snarled and barked as he tried to stab me with is own blade. It grazed my shoulder as I rolled towards him, the rough blade opening a ragged wound. I could feel the warm blood running down my arm as I jammed my blade into his foot, He howled in pain, grabbing at the foot and hopping back. I took advantage and stood, pushing my second blade into his throat. He gagged and fell to the floor. Rather pleased with myself, I turned, grinning slightly. That grin vanished completely, as I saw the other gnolls. At least ten stood in the cavern. Unlike their fellows I had dispatched, these were well armed and armored. I was in trouble.

I stepped back, nearly tripping over the gnolls I had just killed. I plucked the blade from the neck of the one and brandished it. I knew that death was about to claim me. Lolth had, for some reason denied me my spells. Had I failed her? Angered her? I pleaded with her but I received no response. I was on my own, and about to die. I straightened my self and looked at the gnolls, brandishing the bloodied blade. Instead of attacking, they parted and knelt to allow a dark cloaked figure to step forward. Ebon hued hands reached up and pulled back the cowl revealing herself. It was one of the priestesses from Arach-Tinilth! I stared, jaw agape. What was this? I was dumbfounded as she approached.

"Kneel before your mistress, male!" she ordered.

I instinctively dropped to my knees, looking up at her.

"What is this about, mistress?" I asked. "I do not understand!"

She laughed. "Foolish male. Lolth has had her fun, and now She is through with you. You were nothing. You were never meant to get as far as you did. You should be honored. You have seen things that no male has ever seen, or will ever see again. And now you will die a long and painful death. My pets will see to that."

She turned and walked away, leaving my to stare at her. She paused as she reached the biggest of the gnolls, stroking his furry head.

"Make sure he suffers greatly, my pet." she cooed.

"Yes mistress." he replied. "He will."

The others snickered and yipped as she disappeared into the dark passageways behind them. At a motion from the leader, a group of them sheathed their bladed weapons and drew clubs as they advanced. I fought them with the only weapons I had left, my fists, feet, and teeth. I punched, kicked and bit to no avail. Beaten and battered, I curled up and covered my head as best I could. Pain welled up as I felt bones break and blood run free. But pain was not the only thing growing within me. Anger. Fury. Rage. These things grew as well. I had been betrayed, and I wanted revenge. That's when something strange happened.

I felt something that I can describe only as pure energy coursing through my body. The pain from the beating lessened, nearly vanishing completely. I screamed, and then everything went black.

I have no idea how long I was unconscious. When I came to, the first thing that my senses was the smell of burnt flesh. I remained motionless as I tried to listen for any tell tale signs of life around me. I could hear nothing. Next I tested my limbs, to see if I was bound or held in any way. I was not. Finally, I risked opening my eyes. I was shocked at the scene before me. The gnolls were surrounding me still, but they were all laying on the ground, burned to death. The ones closest to me were almost unrecognizable, while the others were not as bad, but just as dead. Using a sword that was strangely untouched by fire to help me stand, I looked around a bit more. The walls were untouched by fire as well. As I looked around, I heard a sound.

I spun around, lifting the blade in a poor attempt at a defensive stance. Crawling into one of the tunnels was a singed gnoll. The pitiful creature looked over its shoulder at me, his eyes widening in fear.

"Please…no more." It begged. "I leave you alone. Just don't hurt me."

The gnoll groveled at my feet. No more what? I wondered. Did I cast some sort of fireball spell? That couldn't be. I lifted the blade and jammed it through the gnoll's head, pinning it to the ground. I then scavenged the bodies for anything I could find that would be useful. I found nothing, so I collected my pack and continued to Ched Nasad.


	3. Chapter 3

-1

As I walked alone through the twisting and turning passageways of the Underdark my mind was cluttered with questions. What had happened? Why did the female attack me? Has the Spider Queen abandoned me? That had to be it, I thought. She had her fun, and was through with me. That had to be it. That must be the answer. That explained why I was ushered out of my city so quickly. So cluttered was my mind that I did not even realize that I had reached my goal. Suddenly, before me was Ched Nasad. Or rather what was left of the once great city of webs.

It had been many cycles of Narbondel since the Deurgar invasion was turned away and Lolth had returned to her children but still some places smoldered with the residue of the fire pots. Bodies were piled up, tossed haphazardly into pits by slaves. The smell was overpowering, despite the attempts of mages to hide the stench. I took a cloth and tied it over my face, giving me some protection from the offending odors, as well as hiding my face from others. I had no idea if the priestesses from Menzobarrenzan had communicated with those from Ched Nasad. I decided that I would take no chances. I took robes from one of the bodies in the pits. The mage they currently adorned had no further need for them. They smelled of death, but then again, so did everyone else in the city. I took my knife and shaved the hair from my head as well as adding a few scars on my face.

Once my identity was sufficiently altered, I then sought out a place to stay. This would be my home for an undetermined amount of time. Fortunately, the chaos from the war had left more than a few residences devoid of owners. I found a place near the lowest level of the city. A hovel really, but it had to do. To my surprise, my investigation of my new home yielded some interesting results. It seems the former resident of this house was not a drow, but a human. It was well known that Ched Nasad dealt with surface dwellers, but I had no idea that any were allowed to take up residence. I also discovered a rather extensive library stashed away in a secret compartment beneath the floor. It paled in comparison to the vast stores of scrolls and parchments in my--rather my former house. The books were in Drow, but also in other languages as well: gnomish, elven, draconic, and the language of the humans known as common. A bountiful find indeed!

I knew that I would have to spend much time in Ched Nasad. I would need to become someone I was not. I would take on a new identity. I would no longer be Zentash Syn'alar, first boy of House Syn'alar. I took the name of Tyr'eth, a commoner. It was easy to slip into the throngs of commoners on work details. I worked long grueling hours with little food or water or rest, but I persevered. I maintained my mind by reading and re-reading the books I had found in my newly acquired house.

Time passed, but I was not aware of how much. Perhaps a year or two. Immersed in my books and scrolls, Zentash faded to a distant memory, replaced by the very uninteresting Tyr'eth, albeit a rather well educated Tyr'eth. It seemed however, that the surprised were not done yet. As I sat at a desk reading a scroll, I heard a sound outside the door of my house. I quickly drew my dagger and hid. As I watched, the door opened and a humanoid figure entered, carrying a torch. The light prevented me from I did not give my unwelcome visitor enough time to gather his bearings, as I leapt from my hiding spot and attacked. My opponent was tall and strong, definitely not a drow. Fortunately, my time doing menial labor, I had grown rather strong and I quickly overpowered the intruder. As I rolled over him and placed my dagger at his throat, the torch he carried fizzled and my sight returned. It was a human! I used the hilt of the dagger and rendered him unconscious and tied him to a chair.

I sat across from him at a table, studying him. He was definitely human. Rough features, hair on his face, rounded eyes and ears. A scar crossed his left eye, leaving it milky white and seeing nothing. Age had taken its toll on him. At the time I had little knowledge about the physiology of humans, but I did know that they did not have the life span of the drow. Despite his age, he was well muscled. I waited until he stirred. I leaned forward, resting my hands on the hilt of my dagger.

"Who are you?" He asked in drow. His pronunciation was surprisingly good, despite his rough surface accent.

"It is I that should be asking that question." I replied.

He looked around, and I noticed his eyes falling on the opened cache of books.

"This is my home," he replied, looking back at me. "I lived here once, before the city fell. When the dark dwarves attacked, I fled."

"You?" I scoffed. "I find it hard to believe that a lowly human would live anywhere but the slave pens."

The human leaned back as far as the ropes would allow him and smiled. "This city was not as elitist as your home city of Menzobarrenzan."

I blinked, trying not to keep the surprise from my face, and failing.

He chuckled. "I may not speak your language as well as you, but I have heard enough to distinguish dialects."

"Perhaps, but that still does not explain your presence here now." I tried to recover from my surprise. "How can a human be living here? And where did you get these books?"

He looked back the books stacked on the floor and sighed. "They belonged to a friend of mine, Arven D'liange, a magic user of some skill." He paused. "or at least he was. As to your first question, my companions and I used this place as an office. We were….traders. I am the only one left alive. The rest were killed in the recent upheaval in this city. Once the rebuilding began, I came back."

I leaned back in my chair and studied him once more. An idea began to form in the back of my mind. Perhaps this human would prove useful to me.

"So, you came back to gather your property and flee to the surface?" I asked.

He nodded. I smiled.

"Very well. I will allow you to go free, on one condition."

"And that would be?"

"You take me with you. Teach me of your world, the world above. Allow me to travel with you, as your partner. Once I have learned all I can from you, we will part ways."

He blinked. "You? A Drow on the surface?"

I smiled. "Yes. There have been others, others from my own city even, who have succeeded on the surface. If they can do it, I can as well."

The human thought a moment, then a smile slowly parted his lips. "Yes….Yes. I think I know of a way. I know a ship captain. His crew is…well…diverse. "

I was puzzled, to say the least. "Diverse?"

He chuckled as he worried at his bonds. "Yes. His first mate is a minotaur, there are a pair of gnomish twins, and he is a halfling."

"Interesting. And they will accept a drow?" I asked.

He nodded. "The minotaur was a slave of your people once. I doubt they will mind much. Besides, Having a crewmember of a race such as yours will do wonders for morale….or at least the morale of any who run afoul of us."

I rose and freed him of his constraints. "I accept. We will go see this ship captain of yours, and see what happens."


	4. Chapter 4

-1We left shortly afterwards. I needed nothing, save for a few books that intrigued me the most. The rest I returned to the cache beneath the floor. We struck out and headed for the surface. The trek took just over a score of days. It was a well traveled pathway, being the one that most merchants from the surface used to trade with Ched Nasad. More than once we passed a group leading lizards laden with supplies heading towards the city. Most were lead by dwarves, some humans and a few other races I was hard pressed to identify. Each caravan was escorted by a group of armed drow. They eyed us warily, but we were not harmed.

Almost a week went by before we neared the end of the passageway. The same tunnel that sometimes twisted back on itself and narrowed opened up to a large cavern. Light streamed from the opposite side. I blinked, multiple times. I had never seen something so bright before, and the pain was excruciating.

We waited until nightfall to leave the cavern. We traveled quickly overland, heading towards the ocean. As night gave way to day, we found caves or heavy undergrowth to take shelter from the piercing light that burned my eyes. Garen, as I learned was his name, told me that it was three days to the shoreline, and another two to the docks.

"This ship does not use a city as a port?" I asked. Although I had lived my entire life below ground, the concept of ships on water and ports was not a foreign one. There were great oceans seas and rivers below the surface, with ships that traveled the currents, from city to city.

Garen chuckled. "Suffice to say, the captain tends to avoid the more populated ports of call."

"A pirate then?" I narrowed my eyes a bit.

He shook his head. "More like a smuggler really. He takes on cargo that others will not. Hence the need for…a combat oriented crew. A customer does not want to have his goods shipped by one who cannot take care of himself."

"No wonder he would not mind a drow on his ship." I smirked.

Five nights later we crested a hill and that is when I saw the ship. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. It had great masts rising into the sky, with cross bars stretching out from them on either side. Sails were tied to the cross bars. The ship sat high in the water, and the masts seemed to reach to the stars. I was in awe as we walked towards the ship. I had seen water going vessels, but they were low and wide, and powered by slaves working oars. There were places on the Underdark waterways that had very low ceilings, as giant fingers of rock extended from the roofs of the caverns almost to the water itself. It would not have been practical to have a ship like this one.

As we came down the hill, some of the sailors around the ship pointed at us and yelled. Others turned to look, and grabbed weapons. I pulled my cowl up and wrapped my hand around the hilt of the sword I had kept from my encounter with the gnolls.

"Remain quiet for the moment." he cautioned. "Let me speak with the captain first."

I nodded. Sailors ran forward and leveled crossbows and swords at us, but their looks of caution quickly were replaced by ones of surprise as they recognized Garen. He spoke to one of them, and that one ran off towards the ship, while the others eyed me warily. I remained quiet, however. I cannot say that I was trusting Garan, but I had little choice. I had made my decision to travel with him, and I had to hope that it would work out.

A few moments passed by. Garen and a couple of the sailors talked and laughed, clapping each other on the backs. Then the messenger returned with two figures. One was a towering beast, with great horns jutting from the sides of his head. He wore little, save for a pair of breeches and boots. A giant axe was slung across his back. In contrast, the figure next to the minotaur was diminutive. He barely reached the knee of his companion. The halfling was wearing black boots that folded over at the knees. Tucked into the boots were a pair of baggy red pants, and he wore a black vest over a muscled chest. His hair was pulled back into a top knot, and a cutlass was belted to his side with a black sash. Garan spoke quietly with the halfling for a moment, then turned to me.

"Captain Falco," began Garen. "Allow me to present Tyr'eth, from the drow city of Ched Nasad."

The little captain studied me for a moment, nodding a few times.

"Ye know how ta use that thing?" he asked, pointing to the sword. His accent made it difficult for me to comprehend what he was asking at first, as my grasp of the surface language was still not as strong as I would have liked. I tilted my head a bit, then understanding dawned.

"The sword. Yes. I can use it" I responded.

The minotaur snorted, but Falco put a hand on the beast's hand. "At ease Garak. He'll prove himself, or he'll die. Same thing I told ye when you came to my ship. Now, let us see to finding a bunk fer our dark skinned crewmember."

It took a month at least for my eyes to overcome their sensitivity to the burning brightness of the sun. Each day I would spend a few more minutes up on the deck of the _Vagabond_. The ship's diminutive captain was impressed at how quickly I picked up the ways of the sailor, and by the end of the month, I was climbing the riggings with ease. Drow training made that rather simple. I still had my house brooch, but I kept that hidden in my belongings. I was still Tyr'eth, a drow nobody, not Zentash, a noble. My skills with the blade improved as well, as I sparred with many of the sailors, under the watchful eyes of the minotaur, Garak.

Garak. He was an anomaly. At least among others of his kind. Of course every minotaur I had ever seen were slaves, and had a limited intelligence. This one was different. He was well spoken, speaking at least three languages. Even more surprising was that he bathed. His skill with a variety of weapons was impressive, and I learned everything I could from him. We trained below decks early on, and once my eyes adjusted to the light of the sun, we moved up onto the deck. I soon became quite adept at using my confiscated longsword and, with my drow training, easily adapted what I learned to an offhand weapon, a curved long knife he called a kukri. Although I preferred the longsword, Garak suggested to me that I switch to a shortsword, as shipboard combat tended to be in rather close quarters.

I saw little of the captain or Garen during my month of acclimating to life on a ship. The ship was being repaired after barely surviving a deadly storm, so the time was well spent for all. I met other members of the _Vagabond _ during that time as well. Ships at sea usually carry a wizard, to assist with combat or weather. This one carried two. They were two gnome twins. I never learned their real names, as they spoke little common, but Falco had no trouble conversing with them. They were never apart from each other, and gave me a wide berth. Most of the other crewmembers were humans, but two others were not. There was Sssrack, a sauhuagin, and Jorvin, an elf with wings. Both were scouts, and both kept to themselves. Jorvin kept to the crows nest, and Sssrack rarely came on deck, preferring to remain beneath the waves.

As the month ended, the repairs to the _Vagabond _were completed. The captain seemed satisfied with my progress as a member of his crew. While they accepted me, I found that I shared more similarities with the sauhuagin and the winged elf than the others on the ship. All three tended to keep to ourselves rather than spend time with the other crewmembers. Sssrack rarely even showed himself, Falco speaking to him via a tube in his quarters. The feathered elf was either in the crow's nest or flying around the clouds. I had neither of those options, so when I was not climbing riggings or practicing with swords, I remained in my quarters. I read the few books I brought with my from Ched Nasad. I read them over and over again. I read them so many times that they were engrained in my mind. I could recite them by memory.

As I sat in my room reading one evening, the captain summoned me to his quarters.

"We set said tomorrow, Tyr'eth. Are ye ready?" He asked.

I nodded. "I am."

He leaned back in his chair and propped his booted feet up on his desk. "We'll chasing down some frigates, and taking their cargo. Might even be some killing involved." He eyed me. "You don't have any problems with that, do ye?"

For the first time in ages, I allowed myself a slight smile. "Captain, I _am_ drow."

He chuckled. "So you are. Dismissed."


	5. Chapter 5

-1

I left and returned to my quarters. I spent the rest of the night in reverie. The entire crew was summoned to the deck at sunrise. Even the sauhuagin and flying elf were there, standing with the rest of the crew. The diminutive captain stood on a box with the minotaur towering over him. Both studied the crew intently before the captain spoke.

"We are after the_ Silver Fish. _She carries our pay, boys!"

The crew cheered. I, along with Sssrack and Jovin remained quiet however. The anticipation of battle did course through my veins. Other than training with the weapons master of my house, and the colossal first mate Garak, I had yet to wield my blades. The captain dismissed the crew to their stations and stepped off the box he was standing upon. Garak leaned down and opened the box, revealing a mass of purple fabric. Each crewman took a piece and tied it to their arms or legs or head. Curious, I asked Garen.

"Ease of identification. Hard to tell your friends from enemies in the thick of battle." He cocked his head a bit, and smirked. "Of course, there are some on this ship that don't need them."

I blinked, at first not understanding. Then I saw Jovin unfurl his wings and take to the air, purple fabric tied to a boot. "Ahh...I understand." Still, I took a strip and wrapped it around my arm.

Two days later found the _Vagabond_ and her crew moving swiftly over the waves. I must admit that I had never experienced such an exhilarating feeling. From the riggings, I could see for miles in any direction. Of course, there was nothing to see. The captain seemed to know exactly where the _Silver Fish_ would be. The word was passed to the crew to prepare. I did not understand, but made my way to the deck, armed myself and joined the boarding group to which I was assigned.

Time passed, and I could tell the crew was becoming agitated, at least the humans were. Humans, I quickly learned, were very short on patience. I assume it was due to their rather short lifespan. Suddenly, from the sky a boatswain's whistle pierced the air. I, along with the crew looked up. Perched on the top mast was Jovin, pointing out to sea. We looked, and there on the horizon was a silhouette of a ship. Falco quickly moved to the side of the ship and tapped on a metal bar that ran from the deck rail to beneath the surface of the water. A few moments later, Sssrack's head broke the surface and spoke in its watery tongue to the captain. He nodded then turned to the gnomes.

"Prepare for intercept, prep the crew, then set your protection spells." He ordered.

The two gnomish wizards nodded their ascent, then turned and moved quickly to a platform behind the wheel. They began casting in their own language. Almost instantly, a gust of wind came up and filled the sails. The ship lurched forward and quickly attained an incredible speed. Another casting and a wave of energy flowed over myself and the crew. I felt stronger, and more confident of the outcome. The two cast another spell, but I saw no immediate effect.

It became obvious that the _Silver Fish _ was acutely aware of her peril. The ship immediately turned to run with the wind. She had a wizard, but not one capable of making their ship outrun ours. It was perhaps an hour before we could see the crew of the _Fish, _and they were in an obvious state of panic. Archers were on her rails, and occasionally an arrow would be fired towards us in an attempt to gauge distance.

The _Vagabond_'s own archers moved up to stand along the side of the ship. As we closed the distance a fireball was launched from their wizard. It hurtled towards us and hit an invisible barrier, dissipating its energy. Another came, then another, each with the same result. When we were in range, Garak gave the order to loose arrows. A small black cloud leapt from the deck and flew through the air, coming down onto the smaller ship. Screams could be heard as the arrows pierced shields and bodies, pinning hapless sailors to the deck.

"PREPARE BORDERS!" Shouted the minotaur.

I gripped the hilts of my blades in anticipation as we drew alongside. Archers traded fire, more of theirs falling back than those of the _Vagabond._ As the two ships passed each other, the lead borders hurled grappling hooks towards the other ship. The ropes attached to those that caught hold were pulled tight, and the two ships were drawn together. The two ships came together with a grating sound, and we attacked. I leapt over the railing and landed on the deck of the _Silver Fish_. Immediately I was attacked by two sailors, wielding rusty blades. One dropped his blade and fled as I shoved my shortsword into the stomach of the other. As he dropped, I used one of my innate magical abilities and the fleeing sailor was lined in faerie fire. He screamed and jumped overboard. As I searched for another opponent, I heard screams coming from where the man had jumped. The cries of the man were cut of abruptly, and a moment later, Sssrack climbed over the railing, blood dripping from his massive maw and stiletto like claws.

The battle was a rout. Within moments, the remaining crew of the _Silver Fish _had been defeated. The captain of the ship surrendered his blade to Falco, and the remaining crew were put to sea in the life boats. A We collected our dead and returned to the _Vagabond_ as a small portion of our own crew took control of the _Silver Fish _and started to sail away.

Such was the way of life on the open waters. We hunted, chased down, and looted ships. Over the months I tried to discern a pattern to the ships that Falco chose to attack, but my lack of knowledge of the surface worlds severely hampered that effort. I remained vigilant, however, and absorbed everything I could about life on the surface. When we docked, I spent much of my time on the _Vagabond, _as did Sssrack and Jovin. Falco assured me that in the safe havens the pirates of the seas called home that I and the others would be welcomed, but I chose to disbelieve that. Garak, on the other hand, had no problems going ashore. Instead, I remained in my quarters and read. I had amassed a rather extensive collection of books from the ships we looted. Most of what I read centered around magic, and magical anomalies. I had not forgotten what happened outside of Menzobarrenzan with the gnolls.

I used my growing knowledge of magic and watched the gnome wizards cast. I emulated their motions, and repeated their words, carefully notating them in my own books. A few times I successfully cast a spell. It was not unlike the clerical spells I had learned to cast in Arach-Tinilith. Only these were not granted to me by a fickle deity. While I did enjoy slaying my enemies with blades, it was clumsy and not very effective. My skills with the swords were decent, but if I were ever to take revenge on my house and Lolth, I was going to need more. I was going to need magic. I made my choice that night. I needed to leave the_ Vagabond._


	6. Chapter 6

-1As luck would have it, the twin gnomish mages seemed to take an interest in me. Once, they cast a spell over the entire crew, making the _Vagabond_ appear manned by a crew of drow. The effect was dramatic to say the least. Our opponents surrendered without a fight, much to the disappointment of the crew, especially Garak. The hulking brute had a taste for battle, and was very upset when denied. The gnomes spent three days tied to the mast.

The spell they cast was a mass illusion, and once they learned I had a curiosity for magic, they eagerly began to teach me. It was difficult trying to follow them as they spoke, since neither of them ever finished a sentence. One would speak, and the other would complete. This was they way of their spellcasting as well. I had to take the disjointed way they cast spells, and re-work them into something I could manage. Once I began learning, it took very little time before I had a small arsenal of spells at my command.

During my training with the gnomish wizards, the ship was docked in the cove for repairs, I slipped away and ventured into the ramshackle town where the pirates lived when not at see. I had been into the town a few times, and I always took great care to conceal my identity. Not as a member of the _Vagabond's_ crew, but as a drow. I had no doubt that the rumors of a dark elf serving aboard a ship ran rampant through the town, but I was not about to fuel that fire just yet. I needed a way back to the mainland and a tavern was just the place to find transportation.

Wearing my piwafwi and a cowl pulled over my head, I stepped into the tavern. It was, in a word, seedy. I had to step over a large human passed out on the floor. Three pirates were fighting over something pointless on one side, and a red headed elf strummed her harp off to the other side. A grimy fat man tended bar, and tables were tended to by repugnant, less than hygienic wenches who were far too friendly for their own good. I found a table away from the others in the tavern and sat down. I declined a drink when asked as I had yet to find a substitute for the mushroom wine from home.

Hours passed as I watched the tavern patrons come and go, usually through the door, though occasionally one would be tossed, either from a fight, or by the hulking orcs that served as bouncers. So far, none of the drunken patrons would suffice as a way off the island. As I sat and watched, a server sat a glass of red liquid on the table in front of me.

I looked at her, being careful to keep the cowl covering my face from moving too much. "I ordered no drink."

"Yeah," the server replied. "Its from the bard." She tossed her head slightly in the red headed elf's direction, then sauntered off.

I lifted the glass and sniffed at the liquid within. It had an aroma of wood and moss, both smelled pleasing, but I chose not to drink. I set the glass down and looked over at the bard, only to find her sitting across from me. She wore dark green leathers and tight fitting brown breeches, calf high black boots and a slender sliver rapier belted to her hip. She had long flowing red hair and piercing green eyes. She rested her harp on the table and leaned forward, elbows on the table and her chin cradled in her hands. She smiled slightly.

"Searching for something, no doubt?" She almost purred.

"What makes you think that?" I replied.

"Sitting along, features hidden, not drinking." She leaned back with a bit of a smile. "Seems to me you are putting all of your efforts into searching for something."

"And what might that be?" I countered.

She leaned forward again. "I could only guess."

"Enlighten me."

She chuckled as she reached forward, lifting the glass and taking a sip. "Well," she said, setting the glass down and running a finger around the rim slowly. "A dark skinned sailor, serving aboard the ship of misfits. I would bet a month's gold you are the drow from the halfling's ship." She paused, watching me. I did not reward her with any reaction. She flicked the glass with a black lacquered nail. "I would think you...pardon...he would be more comfortable sequestered in his own quarters on the ship instead of wasting time in a tavern. Unless..."

"Unless what?" I had spent enough time with my own people to know she already knew who I was, and not blindly guessing.

"Unless he were looking for something." She paused, looking at me. "Or someone."

I tilted my head a bit, studying her. She reclined against the chair returning the favor. I decided to take a chance. I reached out and took the glass, allowing my sleeve to pull up slightly, revealing a bit of my skin between the sleeve and my glove. She raised a thin red eyebrow slightly, the corners of her lips turning upwards slightly. I lifted the glass to my lips and wet them.

"So," I offered. "What is so interesting about the _Vagabond_ that has you risking a conversation with me?" I set the glass down. "What do you want?"

To her credit, she did not show her surprise, although to my heat sensitive eyes in the darkened corner of the tavern, I could easily detect the heat rising in her body. She surreptitiously cast a glance towards the main part of the tavern, then looked back to me.

"My employer wants something that your captain has in his possession."

Well, I thought. Now things become interesting. First things first, however. "Who is your employer?" I asked.

"He is a...collector of sorts, you might say."

"I might, if I knew more." I figured that I had another question or two before she would cease offering me information.

She chuckled. "Are all...of your kind this curious?"

"Only when it suits us."

She nodded. "He is an eccentric old wizard with a fancy for things different. A collector, as I said."

A wizard! A plan immediately came to mind. I was certain that the interest would be readily apparent on my face, but fortunately for me, the cowl concealed my dark features. Instead, I nodded. "I see. And what does the halfling captain have that your master desires?"

She smiled, leaning forward slightly. "You have a crewmember that would fit in well in my _employer's_ horde of oddities."

Alarms went off in my head at that. Surely a drow on the surface would qualify! But she continued.

"A certain elf, with wings is what my employer wishes."

He wanted Jovin. I had to agree with him. I had never seen an elf with wings until I came to the surface. He had his uses, I had to admit, but he was a means to an end.

"I will assist, for a price."

She laughed softly and took another drink of the wine. "I expected as much. Name your fee."

Now came the time where I would see how badly she wanted to please her employer. "Take me with you. I wish to meet your employer."

It had the effect I had hoped for. She blinked, then tilted her head slightly as she set the glass down. "How irregular. I am not sure..." she trailed off. Her eyes glazed over, taking on a milky white appearance. She remained motionless for a moment, then her eyes returned to their normal bright green. She smiled. "My employer would like to meet you as well. You...interest him." She turned her head and looked towards the exit of the tavern and motioned to a large human. He nodded and walked out. Then she turned to look back at me. "Do not worry, he has more than enough Drow in his collection. He simply would like to meet and speak with you."

I stood, and she did as well. "Very well, how do you suggest I pack the elf for the trip?"

"It is a far easier trip for him than it will be for us...?" She trailed off, hoping for a name. I obliged.

"Tyr'eth. And what do you mean?"

She reached into a pouch, pulled out a small disc and handed it to me. I could feel the cold through my gloves. "Place this on his body. He does not have to be living, but it is preferred." she waved a hand. "something about making the transfer easier or the like, I am not sure." She looked back at me. "Once he has it, meet me at the docks on the northern end of the isle. My ship is small, but fast. The _Red Fugue_."

I nodded and placed the disc into a pouch. "Very well. Expect me within a day."

She smiled and winked. "I look forward to it. We will be ready."

She turned and walked out of the tavern. I left via a different door and headed back to the Vagabond, trying to figure out how to place the disc on Jovin. I had my opportunity, and now it was time to act.


	7. Chapter 7

-1By the time I had reached the ship, I had formulated a plan in my mind. It would prove to be simple. Since I was leaving, I needed to take my possessions, or at least those that I thought the most necessary. Using the shadows, slipping past the few crewmembers not asleep or passed out from drink was easy. I entered my quarters and opened the chest that contained my belongings. Most important was my house brooch, to facilitate my ability to levitate. House Syn'alar may be near the bottom in rank in Menzobarrenzan, but a noble is a noble. I left the longsword I took from the gnolls, preferring the shortsword and the kukri instead. I tucked a few books into a pack and fastened it on my back. The rest I left. I had no need for it. I slipped out of my quarters and headed to my next destination.

The gnomes, while decent magic users, were predictable creatures of habit. They shared more than their ability to cast spells, they also shared the other's love of drink. I neared their room and paused, listening. Even their snoring was in sync. I cast a simple spell to detect magic to discern if they had warded their door. They had not. It was a simple matter to unlock the door and slip in. Each gnome was in his own bed, sound asleep. I looked around for a moment, examining their belongings. Once I had decided what I needed from them, I moved over to one of them. I drew my kukri from its sheath and placed my hand over the mouth of the sleeping gnome. His eyes popped open as I applied pressure. He struggled, trying to escape, but I held him fast. I slid the blade across his neck, and he died quickly drowning in his own blood. When I finished with him, I turned towards his brother. I had planned to kill them both, then take what I needed, but a thought occurred to me, a particularly wicked thought. Letting one live while the other did not would be worse than killing them both, especially for the surviving brother since they relied on each other for most everything. With a smirk, I picked up a magical bag and placed into it numerous books, a few rings, a pendant, and a half dozen wands. I then left and headed up onto the deck.

Once on deck I looked around. A guard stood on the forecastle, another on the stern. Standing the shadow of the main mast I listened. After a moment, I could make out the sound of feathers rustling softly. After a quick glance around the ship, I activated my house brooch and levitated. As I neared the crow's nest, I slowed my ascent until I was just below the nest. I peered in and saw Jovin curled up, sound asleep. It was a simple thing then to reach into the nest and place the disc on his shoulder. He twitched suddenly, his eyes opening and locking onto mine. He started to move, but froze suddenly, and quite literally. I could not help but watch in awe as blue ice began to spread from the disc. It quickly encased his head and traveled down his body. He tried to struggle, but in moments his entire body was frozen solid. I could not resist reaching out and touching him. He was frozen solid. Another moment, and the frozen avarial simply vanished.

I stared at the empty crow's nest for a moment, in awe. Here was a mage, a wizard of great power. He was my means to gain the power I desired. Armed with the knowledge I hoped I could glean from him, I could do...anything. Revenge on my house in Menzobarrenzan perhaps. I chuckled softly and let myself float to the deck. Remaining in the shadows, I slipped off the ship and headed across the island.

The island was bigger than I had first thought, and even at a steady jog, I only reached the opposite side as the sun was starting its climb upwards. It was not difficult to spot the woman's ship. It was a small ship, with a single mast and red sails. Standing on the prow was the bard. I made my way down towards the docks. I made no attempt at concealing myself as I approached the docks. Shouts rang out as I was quickly spotted. Archers stood up from hidden positions on either side of me, as well as in front of me. I stopped as they pulled their bowstrings taut. I raised my arms slowly and pulled back my cowl, revealing my identity. Upon seeing what I was, more than one archer pulled their bowstrings a bit tighter.

The red headed female whistled sharply, drawing the attention of the archers. They looked at her, and she made a signal with her hand. They relaxed their bows and motioned me towards the ship. With a deep breath, I headed towards the ship and the next step in my travels. I moved down the slope and onto the docks. The red headed bard walked from the prow where she was standing to the gangplank.

"Well done, Tyr'eth." She said with a smile. "My employer was pleased with the speed at which you completed your task." She reached out to take my hand, but I did not oblige. She quirked a brow slightly but her smile remained. "I fear I have been remiss. I have neglected to give you my name. I am Toresca Darkleaf." She sketched a slight courtsey.

"I am Duros von Strassel." The large human from the bar boarded the ship with the archers. He glared down at me as he passed, moving to stand by Toresca's side.

"Excuse Duros." She smirked. "He has the manners of a Tarrasq." She looked at him. "Inform the captain we are ready to sail."

He bowed and walked away. Toresca gave me a brief tour of the ship. It was much smaller than the _Vagabond. _I mentioned as much and she informed me that, while my former ship was designed not only for overtaking, but also for transporting a large quantity of fighters. Her's was a ship solely for speed. We would reach the mainland in two days. She showed me to my quarters and I remained their for most of the journey.

I was not idle during those two days. I spent much of it examining the items that I acquired from the gnomes. I laid the items out on the cot and studied them. One ring was similar to the healing rings I had seen back in Menzobarrenzan. Another had an image of a feather engraved on the sides. The third I could not identify. All three were useless, as were the other items until I could learn the activation words.

I looked over the wands and I was not able to discern the functions of any of them, nor could I identify the pendant. The books, on the other hand, were definitely worth the risks. Two were spell books, two more were encyclopedias of magic. Another book was a journal written by the gnomes. That perhaps would be an interesting read, but I doubt the contents would provide me with much useful information. As a plus, the magical bag was not actually empty. Along with the items I placed in the bag, a dark hilted dagger. It had a darkened steel blade, slightly curved. It definitely radiated magic, though what was exactly I did not know. None the less, I removed the kukri and replaced it with the dark blade and its equally darkened sheath. The only other things in the bag was a small pouch of gems. I returned everything to the bag except for the healing ring, which I placed on a finger, and the dagger.

I remained in my quarters throughout most of the day. I thought it best to let this crew think I was like my people when it came to light. I slipped into a light reverie and waited until the sun started to sink to the horizon. Then I buckled my blades to my sides and stepped out onto the deck. I also decided to keep the appearance of a fighter, and keep my interest in magic quiet for now. Toresca was at the wheelhouse of the ship, in conversation with the bruiser Duros and a smaller man I took to be the captain. I moved towards them. The crew seemed to have a fear of me, and steered clear as I traversed the deck.

"Welcome Tyr'eth." Toresca said. "I take it your quarters are to your satisfaction?"

I shrugged. "More than I require." It was true, but I was glad for the privacy. "What happens one we reach land?"

"We travel north. To the mountains far to the north, where the snows never melt." She grinned. "I hope you brought a coat."

Snow? What was she talking about? I tried to maintain a neutral expression. "I have no coat."

She waved a hand. "I am sure we can find one for you."

We docked a day later as night fell. It was a remote dock, away from any habitats or towns that I could see. A dozen men and horses awaited us, along with three covered wagons as we debarked from the ship. Only Toresca, Duros and myself left, the rest sailing the ship away. I was kept in one of the wagons, Toresca stating that many between here and our location might not look to kindly on Drow traveling in the open.

"The locals have had, well, issues with your kind in a large expanse we must travel near." she explained. "Best to keep nervous eyes away, hmm?"

I could not disagree. At least not until I met her mysterious employer. Spirited away in a wagon, the group headed north.


	8. Chapter 8

-1The caravan moved quickly over the first week. All three wagons were loaded full of travel supplies, which made my accommodations somewhat uncomfortable. Fortunately, I was not bothered with that sort of discomfort. I remained within the confines of the wagon during the daytime, only coming out to stretch my legs at night. It was only then that I had a chance to study Toresca's guards. There was something odd about them, that much I had quickly determined but not until I could focus more intently could I learn what exactly was different. The first thing I noticed was that none of them spoke. They looked at each other, as if communicating, but not with spoken words. As I looked more closely, I discovered that her guards all possessed a slight sheen of blue about their entire person. They were all human, but all had the same blue eyes and shaven heads. But it was that sheen, perhaps an aura would be a better term, of blue. I cast a spell to detect magic and quickly learned that all of them radiated magic. I spoke to Toresca about it.

"They are employed by the same man that employs me." She stated. "He has sent them here to make sure I return to his lands safely."

"You earn more than they do, no doubt." I pressed.

"No doubt." She smiled, almost knowingly.

"They seem a bit...quiet." I countered.

She looked at Duros, who sat across from me at the fire, tending to a small creature on a spit. He returned her look, then looked at me. "Our employer has some out of the ordinary types in his employ." He paused, poking at the meat with a dagger. "These are some of his personal guardians. They have been altered to keep them functional in such a cold climate."

Toresca added to her companion's words. "He has a thing for cold, as you no doubt already gathered from the magical little trinket you donated to your feathered friend."

"So I noticed." I agreed. "Quite the interesting...'trinket' as you put it."

She laughed as she carved a piece of the cooked beast and put it on a plate. I watched the guards for a while, the beginnings of an experiment forming in my mind. Once she and her companion retired for the night I slipped away into the night, moving away from the camp. I moved a few hundred yards away, then circled back. I had watched the guards and quickly learned that their patrol patterns were predictable. They walked over the same path over and over, down to stepping into the same footprints each time. I followed one for a bit, until he was far from the campsite.

Quickly I cast a spell dropping a blanket of silence over the area. Then, remaining in the shadows, I slipped up behind the guard. I readied my dagger and wrapped an arm around his mouth and pulled back. I expected him to be strong, and I was correct. He was not only strong, but quick as well. As I grabbed his face, he immediately reached up and grabbed my wrist. The pain was excruciating as I could feel the bones in my wrist grinding together under the pressure. But pain was nothing new to me. I spent most of my life in Menzobarrenzan in some form of pain. Not to be deterred, I quickly brought my blade up and drew it across his neck. I could not see it, but I could feel the warm liquid pouring from the wound and down my hand. It did not, however, have the desired effect as I found myself flipped over his head and landing on my back.

I flipped over to a crouch and drew my shortsword, watching my opponent. Other than warm, dark liquid leaking from his neck, he seemed to be in no distress, but also made no move towards me. Not knowing exactly how long my silence spell would last, I had to act fast. I leapt from my crouch at him, my sword leading. He lifted a hand to defend himself, but was not quick enough. My blade pierced his hand and pinned it to his chest. My weight and forward momentum carried the two of us to the ground. Not wanting to risk his strength, I quickly maneuvered my dagger to his neck, in an attempt to finish what I started. I pushed the blade into the wound and pushed down. I could feel some resistance as the blade hit what I assumed was his neck. As I applied pressure, his free hand came up and grasped at my neck. My eyes widened as I remembered what he did to my wrist. Desperate, I pushed on the blade, but to no avail. My vision began to darken as my air was cut off by the grip around my neck. My last image before I lost consciousness was the guard kneeling over me, choking me.

I had no idea how long I was unconscious. It was still dark when I came to. I rubbed my neck gingerly. It was raw, as was my wrist, but my ring was doing its job and I had no doubt my injuries would be healed soon. My dagger was resting on the ground but the guard and my sword were nowhere to be seen. I checked the ground for tracks, but I could not determine if the guard left. As I started to head back to the camp, a drop of something warm landed on my face. Drawing my dagger, I looked up. There, perhaps thirty feet straight up, impaled on a branch, was the guard, still with my sword pinning his hand to his chest. He stared down at me with unseeing eyes.

How in the hells did he get up in the tree, I wondered. I circled the tree, watching warily, expecting a trap. When after a few moments none came, I climbed the tree. The branch the guard was impaled upon extended from a larger branch and it easily supported my weight. I walked out and straddled the branch, wrapping my legs around it. I reached down and pulled my sword free, ready to roll away and drop to the ground. Nothing happened. Curious, I stretched out and examined the wound made in the guard's chest by my sword. Cautiously, I pried the wound open with my fingers and looked inside. There were no organs! This was no human, or humanoid, but a golem or construct of some sort.

I was about to head back to the campsite when something caught my eye. While there were no internal organs, there was something. I reached into the chest cavity and pulled out a fist sized sphere. It seemed to pulse, almost humming. And it was cold to the touch. I could feel the chill through my gloves. Leaving the guard in the tree, I dropped to the ground. I placed the sphere into my magical bag and headed towards the camp. I detoured over a small stream to clean the blood, or whatever the construct contained, from my gloves. I then returned to camp, slipping in through the remaining guards and climbing back into the wagon to examine my prize.

I pulled the sphere from the bag and set it on the floor. I sat before it and studied it intently. It was small, and I needed no spell to tell me that it was magical. It still pulsed a steady rhythm, though the glow was lessened somewhat. I had no other spells memorized that would assist me in analyzing the sphere so I placed it back into the bag and pulled out the books I had acquired from the gnomes. I flipped through the pages, searching for a spell that might help me learn more. The only spell in the books that would work was an identification spell, which was within my ability to cast, though I first needed the spell components. I put away the books and took my reverie until the morning, pondering where I could find a pearl on land, and what sort of bird was an owl.

The next morning I carefully watched Toresca, Duros and the guards. None of them seemed concerned, or even aware that they were short one guard. After paying close attention to the other guards, I confirmed my suspicions that they were like the one I fought that night. Their actions were definitely more programmed than random. Each guard went through a series of motions and when he, or it, was finished, it stood by the horses, preparing it for travel.

"Something interesting?" Toresca's voice startled me, though I did not show it.

"Your retinue is quite efficient." I replied, nonchalantly.

She nodded, smiling a bit. "Thank my employer. His personal guard."

I nodded in return, purposefully looking away from the guards to her companion, Duros. It was the first time I really had to study him. He seemed competent enough. He carried himself as a warrior, though he carried no weapons. His clothing suggested more of a traveler rather than a soldier. While I was not the greatest at telling the age of humans, he seemed middle aged, with graying hair, wrinkles on his face and spots on his skin.

"And what is his story?" I motioned towards the human.

"Duros?" She looked at him a moment, then back to me. "He is my personal bodyguard."

"Bodyguard?" I quirked a brow, looking back at her. "He hardly seems the type."

She laughed, drawing a curious look from Duros. "He has a rather...unique way about him." She nodded at him and he went back to work prepping for the days travel. "He has many hidden talents." She winked, then left me sitting at the fire pit.

I looked back at him, watching him. I tried to gauge whether or not he would be a potential threat to me, but he seemed completely indifferent. It was if he was a true mercenary, not caring who he worked for, as long as he was paid. From my limited dealings with him, I noticed that he really never offered suggestions or ideas. Instead, he simply did what he was asked without complaint. Perhaps if coin was what drove him, I might be able to retain his services at a later date. Only time would tell.


End file.
